stud removal

[SHOoff89]

Well, I just completed my first rod bearing replacement on my '89. But, before I get to see if I did everything correctly, I have a small problem with an exhast manifold stud that broke off.

The stud itself is stuck in the manifold, but very little is sticking out to get a hold of. I have tried everything to get a grip on it, but nothing is working. Does anyone have any ideas of what I can do to get this thing out? All I have left to do is bolt up the Y and I am good to go, so this is really starting to suck. Are there any tools that are made that could get this thing out?

 

[Ishodu]

What kind of tools do you have aval? If you got a welder you can weld a nut on it and then try and loosen it. Idealy you would want to heat it up too. You could also just try ViceGrips not just some generic brand use the real ones see if you can get a grip on it.

 

[luigisho]

That's a good idea. If that doesn't work you could get some reverse drill bits and/or bolt extractor from Craftsman.

 

[SHOoff89]

We have tried the vice grips many, many times but have yet to break the stud loose. There is very little of the stud left sticking out to get a grip on. I really don't want to have to drill it out because it is at a bad angle, but I am running out of options.

 

[rangerj]

SHOoff89,

Do yourself a favor. Remove the exaust manifold and take it to a machine shop and have them extract it. Put new studs in with anti-sieze compound. Get brass nuts and washers and you will never have the problem again. rangerj

 

[TYSHO]

If you have a torch, heat it up and right after that twist it out with the vise grips on 'tight'.

If you have trouble, unbolt the manifold (if the front) and take it to an EXHAUST/MUFFLER Shop. Have him heat it up orange, while on a vise, then twist it right out with some vise grips or pliers. I had this done within 3 minutes for $5 and that's from when I got out the car and till I got back in to drive off. Oh and he had to put it in the sink to run water over it so I can carry it off. You might have to ask different shops as some still want to charge you by the hour.

One more thing, if your just working with vise grips and no heat...your wasting time.

Hope this helps! thumb

 

[Off Road SHO]

Unfortunately, what RangerJ said is the correct way to do it. However...

TYSHO had a good idea also. If you can take the car to a place that has a REAL mechanic (one that knows the difference between a propane and Oxy-acetylene torch) he might be able to reach in with an ox-acetylene torch with a small tip which produces a small but very hot flame.

Heat the stud up to orange not bright cherry (he will know the difference). This will break the rust bond that the manifold has on the stud.

Since you said there wasn't much stud left to grip, he will then have to weld a nut onto the stud in order to twist it out.

The most difficult part is heating the stud hot enough to break the bond but not melt it. The cast iron of the manifold will act as a heat sink so it take a while to heat it up enough with the small tip. Resist the temptation to use a bigger tip; the flame is then too long for the cramped quarters and he will end up scorching something.

Good luck!

Tom

<small>[ December 19, 2003, 08:52 AM: Message edited by: Off Road SHO ]</small>

 

[autobahnsho]

While doing my clutch I ended up having to take BOTH manifolds off. Luckily the bolts had been taken care of (Anti-seize is the BEST!) and came out without too much problems. (After I had the subframe, power steering rack, y-pipe, starter, and OIL FILTER (this makes it very much easier to get the front one off,) out of the way....

I put the manifold in a benchvise, got somebody with a torch on the stud, and a PIPE WRENCH took them right out. 2 minutes each. thumb

The pipe wrench rocks, since as you turn it it tightens the grip on whatever you're twisting.

I tried for an hour w/ vicegrips and no heat first....

AND DEFINITELY get NEW studs (they're just a few bucks, mine from shonut,) and use lots of anti-seize, 'just in case' there's a 'next time'.

 

[TYSHO]

Off Road SHO:
Since you said there wasn't much stud left to grip, he will then have to weld a nut onto the stud in order to twist it out.

The most difficult part is heating the stud hot enough to break the bond but not melt it. The cast iron of the manifold will act as a heat sink so it take a while to heat it up enough with the small tip.

If there's enough room to weld a nut on, there's enough room to get some vise grips to bite down on the stud, IMO. I might be wrong though. shrug Mine only had 1/8 to 3/16 left and was no problem.

My exhuast guy used a small tip and had it orange in seconds. **** However, you can burn/melt that SOB out and clean the threads out afterwards. Again the exhuast man can do that for cheap. wink

<small>[ December 19, 2003, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: TYSHO ]</small>

 

[Off Road SHO]

TYSHO
QUOTE]If there's enough room to weld a nut on, there's enough room to get some vise grips to bite down on the stud, IMO. I might be wrong though. shrug Mine only had 1/8 to 3/16 left and was no problem.

[/QB]

That's the beauty of welding on a nut, you weld through the hole. The stud can be broken off flush and you can still weld a nut onto it.

Tom

 

[TYSHO]

Off Road SHO:

TYSHO
QUOTE]If there's enough room to weld a nut on, there's enough room to get some vise grips to bite down on the stud, IMO. I might be wrong though. shrug Mine only had 1/8 to 3/16 left and was no problem.

That's the beauty of welding on a nut, you weld through the hole. The stud can be broken off flush and you can still weld a nut onto it.

Tom [/QB]

I need to think before I post! slap

Thanks for clearing that up Tom. thumb

 

[SHOoff89]

Well, the y-pipe is back in but I couldn't get the freaking stud out, and to make things even beter, there is now part of an easy out broke off in it. So... the y-pipe now has a c-clamp on the one side until I can get it to the shop on Monday to have them fix it. It is the rear manifold, so unless someone knows some trick that makes getting it off easy, I will just take the whole car to the shop which is only a mile or so away. The good news is that there are no knocking noises from the motor, so I must have done the bearing replacement correctly, or so I hope.